A Year of Raising the Bar for Charter School Students
For over 25 years, since the beginning of Arizona’s charter school law, the Arizona State Board for Charter Schools (Board) has continued to assist charter schools operate, navigate, and remain accountable in Arizona’s educational landscape. Our mission: “To improve public education in Arizona by sponsoring charter schools that provide quality educational choices”, has been at the core of our work. Keeping in mind 2025 will be marked as the Board’s 30th year in operation and as we near this milestone, we intentionally reflect on the initiatives that took place last year in 2023.
In my first year as the Board’s President I have witnessed the Board’s efforts to “raise the bar” through additional support, communication and training for our schools and how the Board portfolio continues to strengthen and diversify. This was evident to me when the Board successfully deployed a team in Southern Arizona enabling our agency to increase the quality of support in that region, which currently holds 146 schools. As the Board’s first indigenous president, it is my hope that the Board will continue to reach out and support all schools including those in rural and indigenous communities. With that, I am excited to know that the Board is actively hiring for a team in Northern Arizona to better support the unique needs of those schools north of the metropolitan-Phoenix area.
As we closed out Fiscal Year 2023 and have ventured into 2024, the Board is committed to heightening support measures and factor in the needs of students and families across Arizona as we make decisions. The Board’s Annual Report details what we achieved in 2023 and how we have our eye on the future so that all schools and their communities can thrive in 2024 and beyond. I, along with my fellow Board members, thank you for your support over the past two decades and we look forward to continuing to “raise the bar” internally to better assist the charter community outwardly.
Sincerely,
Hans-Dieter Klose
Hans-Dieter Klose
Board President
Board Members
Hans-Dieter Klose
President
Reservation Resident Member
Jessica Montierth
Vice President
Charter School Operator
Tom Horne
Superintendent of Public Instruction
Wendy Miller
Superintendent Designee
Carlos Ruiz
Public Member
Carol Crockett
Public Member
Christina Foster
Public Member
Eli Chmouni
Public Member
Stephanie Bahr
Charter School Teacher
James Swanson
Business Community
Member
Timothy A. Stratton
Business Community
Member
*Includes Pacific Islander, Multiracial, and
Native American
**AZ Dept. of Education 2022-23 Enrollment Data
9.8%
Of charter school students identified with disabilities
31%
Of charter school students eligible for free and reduced lunch
Data shows charter schools are closing the academic achievement gap between disadvantaged subgroups and all students in Arizona.
A Snapshot of all Arizona Charter schools In 2023**
ELA Percent Passing
Charter Students
All Arizona Schools
60
40
20
0
2019
2021
2022
Math Percent Passing
Charter Students
All Arizona Schools
50
40
30
20
10
0
2019
2021
2022
Hispanic/Latino
41.9%
African American
6.6%
Asian
7%
White
37.5%
Other*
7.1%
571
Charter schools in Arizona
More than
20.6%
Of public school students are enrolled at charter schools
232,000
Charter school students enrolled
ASBCS
At A Glance
559
Oversees
Charter Schools Operated by
412
Charter holders
191
Schools Visited
407
Financial Audits Reviewed
99%
Of charter holders met operational performance standards
90%
Of charter holders met financial performance standards
75%
Of charter schools that received a letter grade received “A” or “B” letter grades in fiscal year 2022
"Raising the Bar"
Increase Charter Support
- Incorporate further enhancements, cleanup to existing data, and improvement for transparency to the new ASBCS Online System.
- Hire a regional team for northern Arizona to increase the quality of support and community involvement.
- Expand training offerings by ASBCS staff and partner with external agencies to provide additional training and support.
- Visit 175 schools this year.
- Increase presence with charters and public by providing more newsletters and improving social media presence.
- Meet and build relationships with charter community members to assist in navigating the national charter landscape.
- Improve communication to include more touchpoints with our charters and to better provide charter school support.
Increase Communication
Looking Forward
- Establish a Financial Framework Subcommittee to review Financial Framework through public process.
- Continue development of School-Specific Academic Goals.
- Collect and utilize data to make informed decisions to improve processes.
- Review of amendment requirements to better streamline processes and reduce administrative burden.
Improvement of Processes
What To Expect in Fiscal Year 2024
newsletter
Arizona State Board for Charter Schools Located at
1700 W. Washington St. Suite 304
Phoenix, AZ 85007
ASBCS Website
